LEAF’s Evaluation Gets a Revamp

LEAF’s Evaluation Gets a Revamp:

Version 5.0 Coming Next Month!

The Evaluation Team at LEAF is excited to share that we are working on some big changes to bring you a new and improved LEAF certification process!

 Since LEAF’s inception in 2010, the LEAF Evaluation has gone through many changes ⁠— as new innovations, technologies, best practices and overall sustainability knowledge has advanced, we strive to keep up-to-date and ensure our evaluation is reflective of such advancements.

 Our latest changes have been in the works since August 2021 and encompass much more than simply updating our current sections on the latest research and regulations. Our team is very proud to present our latest LEAF Evaluation 5.0, launching next month.

CRAFT Beer Market, Toronto ON⁠ — Level 1 LEAF Certification

Before we dive deeper into what makes this evaluation version so exciting, let’s understand how a LEAF Evaluation works:

 LEAF Evaluations comprise a set of comprehensive and holistic questions that assess the sustainability of a foodservice provider ⁠— whether they are restaurants (independent, franchise or chain), public or private institutional foodservice providers, cafés, food trucks or catering services. We also recognize that as a result of the pandemic, foodservice providers are taking new shapes and forms, and thus have created the space for them (i.e. take-out only establishments).

The evaluation questions encompass ten categories, from food sourcing to supplies, energy and water usage to building design, chemicals to furnishing and decor, waste and recycling to employee well-being and policy. Based on an establishment’s score, it would be awarded a LEAF Certification level ranging from Level 1 to Level 3, with Level 3 certifications being the highest. Once an establishment receives their certification, they can then proudly show the world their badge of sustainability and join our list of Green Restaurants in Canada! 

 Compared to the previous version (4.2) introduced in late 2019, the LEAF Evaluation 5.0 has many exciting key developments that have resulted from dozens of hours of discussion, assessing each question with thoughtfulness, intention and critical thinking.

Below are some of the new changes to come in Version 5.0:

1. New medium of evaluation

   The evaluation system will transition from simply being a spreadsheet-based inputting format to also include other technologies. Our new inputting medium is more user-friendly and more streamlined for data input, collection, and analysis. In the future, we hope to develop and move into a LEAF-specific evaluation software ⁠— leveraging the synergy of spreadsheets and automation marks the first step of that bigger picture!
   

2. Elimination of evaluator’s discretion

   Although each LEAF evaluation is performed by LEAF Accredited Consultants that are trained to ensure consistency, the new Evaluation 5.0 has eliminated all possible avenues for evaluator discretion by providing clear, specific, measurable and objective metrics that standardize the evaluation. Your establishment can get peace of mind that, regardless of the evaluator, you can count on your evaluation score to be generated in an equitable and fair manner.
   

3. Large expansion of educational section

   As LEAF starts its organizational shift towards not only providing sustainability certification but also education, the LEAF Evaluation reflects this by expanding our section on training and education. It acknowledges all types of education ⁠— from passive to active, from within the establishment’s employees to educational outreach within its customer base, industry or greater community, from formal to informal training occasions. With this section, we aim to communicate the importance and often overlooked yet extensive opportunities for sustainability education within the foodservice industry. We will also be providing comprehensive educational modules on our new partner Restogreen’s platform, helping interested foodservice providers start and further their sustainable practices.
   

4. More comprehensive sections

   Not only has the Education section of the LEAF Evaluation been more thoroughly-developed, each and every other section has simultaneously deepened. Gaps have been identified and filled, as well as more alternatives have been considered such as new regulations and adaptations.
   

5. Greater focus on food waste

   According to Project Drawdown, a world-renowned and research-backed resource for climate change solutions, “reduced food waste” is the single most impactful solution to curb carbon emissions ⁠— reducing and/or sequestering 90.70 gigatons of CO2 within a plan to keep temperatures from rising under 2C by 2100. Reflecting this impact of food waste, there is a greater focus in the LEAF Evaluation 5.0 on this topic ⁠— hoping to not only raise more awareness on the issue, but to drive real-life action.
   

6. Increased preparedness for establishments and evaluators

   We know from the back end the amount of effort, time and details that both our evaluators and the establishments need to undergo in order to complete our evaluations. This is why we have developed a new Evaluator Package that includes specific instructions, templates, and our updated Evaluation Manual that goes through each question in the evaluation in detail. We will launch a training program for all evaluators and ensure that before they visit your establishment, they are completely up to speed about how their evaluations will look like and what to prepare for.
   

7. Newly-developed scoring framework

   Complementing our new evaluation system is our new scoring system and framework that has been developed based on various international sustainability standards. In order to ensure the credibility, quality and evidence-based impact of LEAF’s Certification, our evaluation scoring framework is developed around the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) dimensions as well as the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). LEAF is committed to a constant improvement of our methodology to reduce foodservice providers’ environmental forkprint, and the measurements in this updated scoring framework are fully standardized to either measurable percentages or Yes/No questions. 

8. More thought behind the questions: leaving no one behind
   Last but most definitely not least is the holistic bigger-picture of our evaluation update. Over the past 8 months, the Evaluation Team has truly dived into the LEAF Evaluation with a critical lens -- really looking at the underlying premises behind the questions. Our new evaluation not only includes questions framed with more equity in mind, but also creates the space to recognize all levels of effort, from small baby steps to great innovative leaps. We have also added questions that allow establishments in underserved areas (i.e. rural communities) to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability in alternative ways that may otherwise be restricted to more urbanized communities. Although LEAF was founded with the mission to increase environmental sustainability, we understand that environmental sustainability is deeply intertwined with all other dimensions of sustainability and that in order to advance the UN SDG’s “Leave No One Behind” motto, we need to exemplify and reflect it within our evaluation design as well.

We know that these are not small changes, and we want to assure you that the transition will be smooth and supportive. Current members will not be affected immediately, but seeing as maintaining LEAF Certifications require regular renewal, LEAF-certified establishments should be prepared to undergo an updated evaluation process in the coming future. Indeed, LEAF evaluations are dynamic, adaptable and under constant review to communicate new regulations, innovations and best practices in the sustainable foodservice world. 

Amsterdam Brewhouse & Restaurant, Toronto, ON — Level 1 LEAF Certification

 To create changemakers, we need to be changemakers ourselves. After months of development, the Evaluation Team at LEAF is incredibly proud of our resulting product and honoured to launch our new Evaluation 5.0 next month. We already have a few establishments in line for evaluation, and we look forward to gathering more feedback and insights through our upcoming evaluations to further hone our process. We strongly believe that this evaluation will encourage new action, generate new insights, and spark very important discussions on sustainability and climate action in the foodservice community. This is an exciting time at LEAF, and we are so grateful to share our journey with you and for all of your support.

If you’re interested in becoming LEAF-certified, we have a newly-launched pledge program housed at Restogreen where we provide establishments with personalized support, training and educational resources in preparation for their evaluation/certification. Restogreen embodies our goal to empower foodservice providers to improve ⁠— because at LEAF, success is not about measuring scores and providing certifications; at the core of it, we are here to identify tangible, actionable steps that your establishment can take to find your own path towards sustainability.

Please visit our website at https://leafme.org/ to learn more about LEAF and take the first steps towards your LEAF Certification ⁠— our team (and our sparkling new evaluation) will be waiting for you.

 With pride and gratitude,

Vicky Huang, LEAF Education & Environmental Resource Coordinator

Henmary Acosta, LEAF Environmental Co-Chair

Lyna Carrillo, LEAF Environmental Co-Chair

Environmental & Evaluation Team

Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Foodservice (LEAF)

LEAF's Guide to Canada's Greenest Restaurants 2019

VICTORIA, BC, APRIL 16, 2019 - LEAF’s annual Guide to Canada’s Greenest Restaurants showcases the growing importance of environmentally sustainable foodservice. With nearly 100 LEAF Certified facilities across Canada, from independent restaurants, to small cafes, and large campuses, the green movement is making an impact.  

LEAF Certified restaurants are distinguished because of their dedication to sustainability, including water and energy conservation, waste reduction and composting, and local or sustainable food offerings.

“Choosing to dine with a restaurant that cares about their environmental impact is helping create change in the foodservice industry and moving Canada towards a greener future,” says Janine Windsor, LEAF President and Founder.  

The updated list of LEAF certified restaurants includes Craft Beer Market, who won the 2019 LEAF Award for Most Improved and are LEAF certified in all of their seven locations across Canada. The 2019 LEAF Award for Greenest Restaurant went to to River Café in Calgary, who continue to raise the bar in their commitment to sustainability.

LEAF’s top six most sustainable restaurants in Canada are:

• Cafe Belong, Toronto, ON

• Locals Restaurant - Food from the Heart of the Island, Comox, BC;

• River Cafe, Calgary, AB;

• The Coup, Calgary, AB;

• Degrees, Winnipeg, MB;

• Chic Alors!, Quebec, QC.

As LEAF approaches ten years as a Canadian not-for-profit, green dining options are  steadily growing due to both consumer demand and increased industry awareness. This past year LEAF launched a successful plastic-free dining challenge, which encouraged all restaurants to reduce or eliminate single-use plastics.

“These are no small changes,” says Windsor. “It’s estimated that plastics take approximately 400 years to degrade, so eliminating common single-use items is an important step in reducing plastic waste.”

Consumers can support a more sustainable foodservice industry by visiting a LEAF Certified restaurant and encouraging local restaurants to become LEAF Certified.

Follow LEAF on Twitter @LEAF_Canada, on Instagram @LEAF_Canada, and on Facebook L.E.A.F

Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Foodservice (LEAF) is Canada’s only nationwide, non-profit foodservice certification program. Established in 2009, LEAF helps restaurants reduce their environmental impact and makes it easy for patrons to identify green restaurants.  

Check out the guide below!